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6 CatholicOutlook October 2011Death of Fr Rod Bray: 1938-2011The Catholic Diocese ofParramatta lost one of itsmuch-loved priests with thesudden death of Fr Rod Brayon 27 August 2011. Fr Bray wasParish Priest of St MargaretMary’s Parish, Merrylands.Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP,Bishop of Parramatta, wasthe principal celebrant forthe Requiem Mass on 2September in St MargaretMary’s Church, Merrylands.The Mass was concelebratedby Most Rev Julian Porteous,Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney,Most Rev Pat Power, AuxiliaryBishop of Canberra &Goulburn, the Presbyterateof the Diocese of Parramattaand surrounding dioceses.Born on 4 April 1938 inStrathfield Parish, Fr Bray’sschooling was at Mary ImmaculatePrimary, Manly, St Martha’sPrimary, Strathfield, and StPatrick’s College, Strathfield.He trained for the priesthoodat St Columba’s Seminary,Springwood, and St Patrick’sSeminary, Manly. He wasordained to the priesthood byCardinal Gilroy at St Patrick’sSeminary on 15 July 1961.Fr Bray’s first priestlyappointment was on loan to theDiocese of Aitape, Papua NewGuinea from 1962-67. Returningto Australia, he was AssistantPriest at Tempe (1968), Blacktown(1968-70), on loan to the Dioceseof Aitape again from 1971-73,then Assistant Priest at Mt Druitt(1974-77) and Mt Pritchard(1977-79). He was appointedAssistant Priest at Merrylands in1979 and Parish Priest in 1980.His ministry included actingChaplain to the Royal Corpof RAEME (Royal AustralianElectrical Mechanical Engineers)Association of NSW Inc,Australian Defence force.On 23 July this year, BishopAnthony was the principalcelebrant at a Mass for FrBray’s Golden Jubilee ofordination to the priesthood.Bishop Anthony said that in ahalf century of priestly service,Fr Bray was “an inspiration tothe vocations of other priests,a herald of the coming of theLord, and a missionary pastorto Merrylands and beyond”.He recalled visiting Fr Bray inhospital last year where therewas a queue of parishionerswaiting to make their confessionto him as he lay on his sick bed.“How pleased must be StMargaret Mary Parish that thisindefatigable pastor has made ofher church a centre for confession,catechesis and devotion forthe Diocese of Parramatta andbeyond,” the Bishop said.Close friend Fr James Tierneyhad known Fr Bray sincethey were both studying forthe priesthood at Manly.Fr Tierney reflected on howmuch his friend had loved his timeas a missionary in Papua NewGuinea: “After his ordination, FrBray went on loan to a FranciscanDiocese in PNG. His first six-yearstint left an indelible stamp onhim. It enrichedhis experienceas a pastor ofsouls and of thewider Church.“After six years,Fr Bray wasFr Rod Brayback in Australiafrom 1968-1971. Permissionwas granted him for threemore years in New Guinea. Hewanted to spend his life there.”Fr Tierney described Fr Brayas a priest “in the traditionalIrish style, friendly andrespectful. The precedent is inthe homely Catholic poetry ofMsgr Hartigan (John O’Brien),author of Around the Boree Log.“First and last, Fr Bray was apriest of Our Lord Jesus Christ.No higher tribute can be paidto him than that. He livedand exercised that priesthoodfaithfully for 50 years.”Fr Bray is buried in the LawnCemetery for Priests next to StMichael the Archangel’s Chapelat Rookwood Cemetery.Fr Bray’s funeral was in St Margaret Mary’s Church. Photos: Shelly BarnesThe First Reading was read by Fr Bray’s sister-in-law, Rita BrayMonaghan& GleesonFUNERAL DIRECTORSR
CatholicOutlook October 2011 7Building Bridges, Not Walls:Australia’s Catholic bishops havereleased a major statement on prisonsand the justice system entitledBuilding Bridges, Not Walls: Prisonsand the justice system. SocialJustice Sunday was celebrated on25 September 2011.The statement was launchedat the Australian CatholicUniversity’s North Sydney campusby Graham West, Chief Executiveof St Vincent de Paul Society NSWand a former NSW Minister forJuvenile Justice. The respondentwas Margaret Wiseman of thePrison Chaplaincy of the CatholicArchdiocese of Sydney.The statement points out seriousshortcomings in Australia’s prisonsand in the justice systems, andchallenges citizens and politiciansto search for a more constructiveway forward.Speaking at the launch, BishopChristopher Saunders, Chairmanof the Australian Catholic SocialJustice Council, said the majorityof Australian prisoners came fromthe most disadvantaged sections ofthe community: Indigenous people,the underprivileged and thosesuffering from mental illness.“Although rates of crime haveoverall remained steady, and insome cases have fallen, Australia’srate of imprisonment has increaseddramatically. We must ask if thejustice system is truly deliveringjustice to our community.“Although there will always be aneed for prisons to deal with seriousoffences, there are alternativemeasures that are more effectivein delivering justice and keepingmany people out of jail.”The bishops have called for moreproductive alternatives to fear campaignsabout law and order, for anapproach that addresses the socialfactors that contribute to crime,ensuring the dignity of those inprison, and providing more supportfor people returning to society.They urge all Australians to thinkabout the conditions in prisons,and to ask who are most likely tofind themselves there and why.Between 1984 and 2008, whilerates of crime either stayed steadyor fell, the number of Australians inprison per 100,000 people almostdoubled. Indigenous people makeup about 2.3% of the populationbut about 25% of those in prison.The incarceration rate for youngIndigenous is even higher.The disproportionate growthin imprisonment has come aboutin part because of repeated lawand-orderelection campaigns andsensationalist reporting, whichencourage the idea that crime isout of control.There will always be a need forPhoto: AAP/Amy SancettaPrisons and the justice systemprisons, but it is time for Australiansto ask what they expect from theirprison systems.Is jail simply somewhere towarehouse wrong-doers until theyhave served their sentences, or canit be a place where inmates learnto become responsible membersof society?How can we support thosewho have committed no crimebut suffer terribly because theirloved ones are incarcerated? Thisis an issue that especially affectschildren with a parent who hasbeen imprisoned.What can we do to support thosewho have paid their debt to societybut must overcome obstacles tofinding work, a place to live and aplace in the community?The statement celebrates thework of chaplains and all whowork to bring hope and supportto prisoners.No crime can diminish the factthat we are all created in the imageand likeness of God. In our parishesand our communities, let usconsider how we can make a differencefor those in prison and seekingbridges to a new life.For further details aboutthe Social Justice Statement,visit the Australian CatholicSocial Justice Council website:www.socialjustice.catholic.org.auIMMACULATE HEART COLLEGEMaryville Downs, Lower Chittering, WAIs seeking expressions of interest for the position of:FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPALThis is an Independent School, teaching the Catholic Faith.It will open in February 2012 with classes Kindergarten toYear 3, expanding to Year 6 over the next 3 years.The school will be situated in Our Lady of the Visitation Parishnext to the new Divine Mercy Church in Lower Chittering.The successful applicant will be a practising and committed Catholic, withthe ability to lead the school in its foundation years. Salary and terms willbe negotiated. A secondment from another school may be possible.For more information please contact Fr Paul Fox tel (08) 9571 1839or Doris Anastasiades tel (08) 9317 4019. Address applications:Fr Paul Fox, Parish Priest, Immaculate Heart College, PO Box 8,Bullsbrook, WA, 6084, or email: marydoris@westnet.com.au
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